Fibre Broadband to 90% of Premises by 2016 For Devon and Somerset

On the 29th January 2013, Connecting Devon and Somerset agreed a deal with BT to deliver high-speed fibre broadband to around 90% of premises by the end of 2016 and to ensure a minimum of 2 Mbps broadband speeds for all.

Average speeds are currently around 9Mbps in Devon and around 8Mbps in Somerset, while about 14% of premises across the two counties receive less than 2Mbps.

The total value of the contract is £94 million, with BT making a £41 million financial contribution. £10 million is being provided each from Devon and Somerset County Councils with £32 million Government funding from Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) and contributions from other public sector partners.